Published 2008-03-18 03:05:00

I sometimes wonder if people should apply for licences before releasing PHP code, I thought I'd have a look at the CMS's in the 'Lite' category of opensourcecms. Unlike most of the reviews you get, I was specifically looking at code quality. not fuzzy does it look nice!

Basically if I need to use any of this for a commerical project, the first question will be, can we maintain and add to it, knowing that it's going to be maintainable. Well. the basic answer from all of the code in the 'Lite' section is. Forget about it. Most of the code in that section, you would be lucky if you server was not hacked. Installing a virus might be more efficient..

Anyway this is the summary from looking at the code.. - it's not pretty and I've not got much in the way of complements for them.. - but it's quite entertaining...

Translucid

BAD - Uses defines for configuration
GOOD - Bootstraper (index.php seems reasonably sensible)
BAD - Stupid directory layout
BAD - Namespacing on classes not sensible
BAD - re-written database abs. layer
BAD - stupid file naming *.class.php
BAD - loads of smarty assignvar's

Snews

BAD - functional based single file crap

Siteman

BAD - site was hacked!
BAD - Code unreadable
BAD - include style running

pivot

BAD - uses functions everywhere
BAD - directories splattered with unorganized files.
BAD - Code unreadable
BAD - php Serialized data in Files pretending to be a database

phpcms

BAD - Messy mix of HTML + PHP
GOOD - a bit of structure to it
BAD - horrific class naming sturcture.
BAD - uses capital letters for GLOBAL variables everywhere.
BAD - Functional crap

lokicms

BAD - functional Crap
BAD - farcical mix of HTML and PHP

lightneasy

BAD - functional Crap
BAD - unreadable code
BAD - if .. if .. if ... interpreting of page actions..

jaf-cms

BAD - Mix HTML and PHP
BAD - trys to get arround register globals!
BAD - functional crap

guppy

BAD - stupid licencing
BAD - stupid file naming *.inc
BAD - functional crap
BAD - mix HTML + PHP
BAD - unreadable code

eyeos

BAD - losts of functional crap
GOOD - uses pear
BAD - mindblowingly bad filenaming
BAD - not lite or simple (WTF was it in this category for..)

doop

BAD - not available

cutephp

BAD - functional crap
BAD - stupid file naming standard - .mdu!!
BAD - mix HTML and PHP


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Comments

And They Wonder...
People wonder why we write our own CMS's sometimes... well if you look at what is out there it is typically quite easy to see.

That has been my major problem in actually using most of the open source software out there. I can hardly ever say I have respect for most of the projects that are living out there.
#0 - Mike Willbanks ( Link) on 2008-03-18 22:56:54 Delete Comment
all these are necessary?
what do you mean by functional?
#1 - ano ( Link) on 2008-03-19 00:48:34 Delete Comment
DPlanet
this post was in rss feed of dplanet =)
#2 - LMZ ( Link) on 2008-03-19 14:30:11 Delete Comment
Functional
I guess you meant procedural code.
#3 - Toby ( Link) on 2008-03-19 15:01:05 Delete Comment
I know your disease...
Sounds like you're suffering from COPS, Alan. Welcome to the club :-)
#4 - Travis Swicegood ( Link) on 2008-03-19 21:56:52 Delete Comment
Hum
I'm french, so excuse my english.

What a disdainful post ! In projects, I've named files *.class.php, is that so bad ?
I also use defines for config var, shame on me !

I don't like that kind of post because it's like saying : "Do do that !"
"Ok, what else should I do ?"
"Dunno, just don't do that"

Good job, very informative !
#5 - Palleas ( Link) on 2008-03-21 23:13:32 Delete Comment
Sorry
"Don't do that" not "Do do that" of course...
#6 - Palleas ( Link) on 2008-03-21 23:15:40 Delete Comment
bad?
BAD - functional Crap

Well you should see a terrible system called Drupal. I bet it was made by a bunch of PHP beginners :)
#7 - poweref ( Link) on 2008-03-30 07:50:59 Delete Comment
functional?!? WTF?
I agree that those cms sucks ass, but...
It seems to me that you don't actually know the difference between functional programming and procedural one... how bad that is? :P
#8 - Tomas ( Link) on 2008-10-23 18:38:13 Delete Comment

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